Harsh Times--2005 A pre-Batman Christian Bale plays a young army veteran trying to succeed in Southern California while dealing with undiagnosed Post-Traumatic-Stress-Disorder; a very tortured individual. I really related to this movie because I know people like the main characters, and I can relate to the plight of all of them. Definitely check it out if you have a chance.
Eagle vs. Shark (2007) If you liked Juno, but thought it wasn't awkward enough...this might be for you. It's super "indie" but in a cute, entertaining way. Plus, chock full of one-liners that are epic. The trailer says it all.
I had never seen this film before now. If only I had kept it that way... Napoleon Dynamite (2004) The movie is about a mildly retarded high school "nerd" living a small Idaho town where everyone else seems to be mildly retarded, too. The difference between Napoleon and similar, but far more likable characters is that he is selfish, stupid, isn't funny, and has no objective in life. He has no redeeming characteristic whatsoever. The film is painfully dreary and boring. As with other "indie comedies", whenever anything "funny" happened, I would frown and wonder what the fuck I was supposed to laugh at. Where is the punchline, exactly? The conceit? The funny? Am I expected to laugh that his nerd brother claims to be chatting with "hot babes" online? Really? It's just a very drab, utterly pointless look at "realistic" life in a small town. Very little happens until about fifty minutes in, when the "movie" (and I use that term loosely) abandons even this loose premise of realism, and becomes loser fulfillment fantasy. Spoiler Deb falls in love with Napoleon, the girl his older brother talks to online meets him in real life and turns out to be a gorgeous black woman that is madly in love with him, Napoleon's catatonic friend Pedro has two gangster cousins helping him at every turn and wins the election, etc, etc. The final forty minutes are very silly and pandering. Still, I would be remiss if I didn't mention the one decent scene in the film; Napoleon dancing in front of the school. That scene, of a kid enjoying himself and not giving a fuck about the consequences or what anyone else thought, was the only decent part of the movie. Sadly, they ruined even that goodwill with an unnecessary, pointless after-credit ending. Avoid this trash like the plague. 22/100
Smoke Signals Watched this last week and thought it was very good, surprised I'd never even heard the name before. It's about two Indian teenagers coming to terms with the mistakes their fathers made and revolves around a trip they take to claim one of the boys father's ashes. Very poignant but also quite humorous at times. What struck me is that its the only movie I've ever seen that deals with the conditions and plights of modern Indian reservations. It's a great story with good characters that manages to depict alcoholism, abandonment, and racism without seeming too contrived or forced. I'd highly recommend it. American Movie Oh my fucking god, this is hands down one of the funniest, most unforgettable movies I've ever seen. It's a documentary that follows an average Joe/hillbillyish character for 3 years as he tries to accomplish his lifelong dream of making a short horror film. The guy is overflowing with passion and enthusiasm but has no common sense or grasp of the nuts and bolts of movie-making. You have to admire his dedication, but as a viewer you can't help but laugh and cringe at the piece of horseshit he is compiling. His process is completely haphazard and disorganized, and he uses just about anyone he can to help out-- his mom, his friends, and even his pre-teen son. The other two main characters are his friend Mike, an insanely funny character whose brain is fried from past drug use, and Uncle Bill, a miserly, mumbling old man who they repeatedly try to solicit for funds to finish the movie. The interaction between these three guys is beyond description. It's just fucking hilarious. The makers of this film did an awesome job of structuring the narrative and there is definitely a progression that takes place. Just when you think things can't get more absurd, they always do. Like any good movie, it's also got a somber reflective side... you really get to feel for these crazy guys, and even though you know its a trainwreck, you'll find yourself rooting for them. Can't recommend this movie enough, I already feel like rewatching it.
From Hell Alan Moore once again removes his name from the film adaption of his graphic novel (He wrote Watchmen and V For Vendetta). Pity, because this movie is brilliant and gorgeously atmospheric it its own right, yet another winner from the shockingly ecclectic (and talented) Hughes Brothers. It puts a unique spin on the White Chapel murders in London with Jack The Ripper. The period and set work is painfully detailed, the cinematography gripping and eerie, and it has a peerless cast (Heather Graham is the only weak member). I loved this film from beginning to end- exciting, visceral, humourous and thought-provoking. 9/10 Fear My friend is a huge fan of this movie and despite my years of avoidance because I was confident it would suck, I bit down and watched the movie that made Mark Wahlberg a star. Boy, did it suck. A thriller with a diction-starved Wahlberg playing a "psycho" obsessed with Daddy's-girl Reese Witherspoon. If you saw the guy Alyssa Milano is obsessed with in this movie you would laugh yourself sick. Suspenseless, bloodless, a yawner climax, a coffee house script with empty performances and every thriller cliche in the book thrown in. This film did well at the box office, obviously because of the lowest common denominator. 2/10 Natural Born Killers 16 years after it came out, this film has stood the test of time as a modern-day cult classic. Oliver Stone bludgeons the viewer to death with a phantasmagoria of violence and the media that it creates/feeds off of. Though Lewis comes off obnoxious, Woody Harrelson is brilliantly miscast as the sociopathic and utterly ruthless Mickey. Everything but the kitchen sink gets thrown into this fim, every movie trick you can think of. It's without a doubt not for all tastes, and some will just find it completely repellent, but if you're tuned into this film it's a rollercoaster ride. My pick for the best movie of 1994. 10/10
Couldn't agree more, the movies take on the media and the television generation is stingily told through some graphic violence. Stone cast Harrilson because he was until that time a huge television star from Cheers, as well as being a son of a hitman. Read Jane Hamsher's book Killer Instinct if you really want to know the nitty gritty details of how this movie was made. It is a really good Hollywood insider read. Coincidentally she also produced From Hell (thanks wikipedia).
BASEketball (1998) I watched this two nights ago for the first time in awhile and it was basically how I remember it: a sometimes funny satire of the professional sports industry. The first half hour or so is hilarious but the humor gets to be too ridiculously silly after that. The thing that always seems to draw me back to watch it is the fact that it has probably the most quotable lines out of all my favorite comedies. Those of you who have seen the movie probably know what I'm talking about, and if you haven't seen the movie I won't spoil it. 77/100
Been on a bad streak recently... As Good as it Gets (1997) A shitty film about a crazy old man who hates everyone (Nicholson) but can't help it because he has OCD and wants to get better (AWWW...), a waitress with a heart gold and a sick kid (AWWWW...), and a sensitive gay artist who gets beaten up by thugs. (AWWWW...) Problem, is they ALL suck. And believe it or not, the minor characters are even worse. They're all this weird combination of borderline retarded and completely inconsistent. This is reflected in the film itself, where a million things are either pure fantasy, over-exaggeration, or pure bunk meant to give you sympathy for its characters. Nicholson's character is moderately entertaining, although his behavior is about 3 levels too extreme for any film going for a "realism" angle. With a "redemption" arc and ending you could see coming a mile away, they should have changed the title to "As Sappy and Predictable as it gets". The first 15 minutes are actually quite funny, but about 50 minutes into it, it becomes damn near unbearable to sit through. 25/100
The Thing 1982. Kurt Russel. An Antarctic research station. An Alien ship. A shape-shifting alien. Dynamite and Flame Throwers. Pure awesomeness in one of John Carpenter's first movies. 95/100
I couldn't disagree with you more on this. First of all it seems almost pointless to give a review on it. Has anyone really not seen or heard of this film that they would need to read your post? I really wonder if it was because you saw the film so much later that it annoyed you so much. You may have seen Jon Heder in other and more recent films (pretty much being the same character) causing him to truly bother you in this. I thought the Napoleon character was hilarious, and any scene with Kip or Uncle Rico was very amusing. It was quirky, but also unique, for an Indie Comedy I thought it was well done. <a class="postlink" href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/napoleon_dynamite/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/napoleon_dynamite/</a> It actually got a 71% from RT which is very good for a comedy. I can absolutely see how someone would not be able to stand this film, if you don't like the Napoleon character or the pace of the film you will 100% agree with Ki Master. I however thought it was funny to see Napoleon ask Pedro if he took his bike off "sweet jumps."
I had no clue what the film was about before seeing it. I faintly remembered some commercials for the DVD around the time I last owned a television (2004), so I knew it had to do with high school. But that was it. In fact, I kind of liked those ads. This is the first and only film I've seen Jon Heder in. And I generally dislike "indie/hipster comedies where nothing happens, everyone is mildly retarded, and it switches from realism to loser fulfillment fantasy halfway through" regardless of when I watch them. Another example was "I Heart Huckabees", which I hated even more. I definitely have some unusual movie tastes very few other people would agree with, but that's not the case here. I watched "Napoleon Dynamite" after a couple of friends told me "Dude, Napoleon Dynamite is one of the shittiest, most overrated comedies ever. We watched a few years ago it expecting something great, and it FUCKING SUCKED." I guess you could say that would bias me to hate the film, but with my personality, it's just the opposite. I love to disagree with people, so the ideal scenario would be that I loved the movie, and came back and explained to them why they were fucking morons for not understanding its genius. Alas, they were absolutely correct. Less anecdotal is the site where I keep track of my films. The reviews and ratings are mixed at best. Really though, the last thing I care about when rating a film is either "critical consensus" or "popular opinion".
Shrooms I didn't watch this movie until a couple days ago with a few friends. Judging by the title I was not at all expecting it to be a horror movie. It was much better than expected, and I plan on buying it for myself in the near future. 10/10
You're kidding right? To each his own I guess, and i'm not trying to be a dick, but this had to have been one of the crappiest movies I've ever seen. Pretty boring with a plot "twist" that I think everyone saw coming about 2 hours before they put the DVD in. None of the characters were interesting in any way, and nothing remarkable to be said about anything in the production.
Maybe it's because I'm so easily entertained, and also easily "scared". I didn't see the ending coming. I thought it was good. As you said, to each his own.
Cool Hand Luke Returned to one of my favorite standbys a few nights ago for the first time since college, the source of my user name. Cool Hand Luke is perhaps the apex of every damn-the-man, anti-establishment, non-conformist, rebel-without-a-cause movie in existence. A prison story centered around a guy who knows no other way but to rebel, for reasons you cannot discern, for things that make little sense. In a generation still searching for its Paul Newman, I don't think a movie of this caliber will ever be repeated. If it doesn't go without saying, it is my favorite movie, bar none. Worth checking out for anyone who hasn't done so.
Poltergeist Now HERE'S how you make haunted house movie, the very best there is. Put Tobe Hooper and Speilberg behind the camera, bring in the greatest special effects master of all time (Richard Edlund), and cut it the fuck LOOSE. The PG rating for this horror film shocks even me. Sure, the effects are a little dated nowadays with CGI cheating everything, but this film about a very likable young family who's daughter is "kidnapped" by malevolent spirits is paced like a rollercoaster ride, a sensationally scary and bone-chilling film. This movie made everything regular in suburbia suddenly terrifying to everyone that watched the film: kitchen furniture, fried chicken, televisions, closets, trees, pools, and especially fucking dolls- all used to the hilt to assure you'd sleep with a bat after watching the movie. If you hated clowns before, you'll be absolutely repulsed by them after the film's most horrifying and notorious shock (which I won't give away). Best of all: the effect of Carol Ann's inter-dimensional voice, a sound tweak where they cause her voice to echo before she speaks, will turn your spine into glass. Poltergeist is one of the scariest and by God best horror films ever made, probably one of the Top 5 of all time. As sequels go, Part II is not bad (with the scariest looking villain in movie history), and part III is a complete shit sandwich which should not have ever existed. If you haven't seen this film, you have no IDEA what you're missing. 9.5/10
Holy hell, that movie is great! I was about 4 when it came out and had a babysitter who, against better judgement, let my sister and I watch it when I was probably around 5 or 6 (Don't remember those details). What I do remember is that movie fucked my world up. It is my first memories of fear. Thunderstorms scared the shit out of me for many years after that, mainly storms at night. Thankfully I outgrew that by the early teen years. Clowns are still on my shit list. In high school and college, my mom used to fuck with me by hiding clowns and stuff in my room when I'd come home from college for break and get a kick out of hearing me scream like a little girl. I still give my old babysitter hell every now and then when I run into her about how she could let two young kids watch something like that at such a young age. Like she knew better, she was only 13-14 or so when she babysat us. That movie is up there with the Omen and Amityville Horror. Psychological horror films that focused more on spirits and stuff that you couldn't see, not like the gory idiocy of the horror movies today.
The Room I can't describe the sheer insanity/genius of this movie myself, thus I shall use a review from IMDB. Since mere words cannot do this movie justice below are samples of this masterpiece : Critical analysis cannot be applied to this film so I will not attempt to. Nevertheless do what you must to see this film.
Jesus Doggystyle Christ. How can a film so awesome even exist? I guess this film has built up a Rocky Horror Picture Show-style cult following (audience members yelling lines at the screen) because of what a melodramatic trainwreck it is. I must own this film. In my own contribution, I can think of only one film that can top this shit pile- Deadly Prey:
Deadly Prey is hilarious. As awesome as the clip you posted was, it doesn't even do all the insanity of the film justice; "Daddy, he raped me!" Out of the films I have seen, the worst has to be Birdemic;